Post by Michael James Stone on Aug 1, 2012 12:33:58 GMT -8
Eternal Destiny
By Ron Graham
“It is astonishing how many millions of seemingly intelligent people are willing to risk their eternal destiny upon less evidence than they would require for buying a refrigerator or TV. Whatever expectations people entertain of life after death, such beliefs are generally categorized as part of their religion. Another word for religion is “faith”, and by definition there are many “faiths” in the world. There is nothing more important than having a solid factual and rational basis for one’s faith. The Holy Bible is God’s Word given to man, and within those pages we are given the basis for our faith.”
Dave Hunt – An Urgent Call to a Serious Faith
The Apostle Peter tells us why we should believe the word of God. “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” II Peter 1:16 You see, Peter and the other Apostles, less Judas, were eye witnesses to the fact that Jesus rose from the grave, not to mention His death and burial. The Holy Spirit led and empowered these men to write down what we read in the Bible. When we were in school we read in our American history books about the accounts of the Pilgrims coming to the new country and colonizing it. We read our history books about the first President of the United States of America, George Washington. We read how Abraham Lincoln was shot and killed at Fords Theater. These were eye witnessed and written accounts of what happened in those days. God chose men for writing the Old Testament and He chose men for the New Testament. Some of those men were eye witnesses of what happened in the days when Jesus the Christ walked the shores of Galilee. The Apostle John tells us, “It was written so we might believe.”
“The uncertainty of life and the inevitability of death are two of the most basic elements of human existence. Logically, then, what may lie after death deserves at least some serious attention and planning before it may be forever too late. And it is only reasonable that prior to that awesome moment of death, which overtakes all in its own time and without discrimination, one should be absolutely certain what death will bring and exactly why.”
Dave Hunt – An Urgent Call to a Serious Faith
The Bible is true, it is completely and undeniably God’s inerrant word. But many will dispute this fact; we see so many falsehoods being taught today, that it can actually boggle the mind.
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.” II Peter 2:1. In our culture today, if a scientist has a PhD after their name they are revered as accomplished and highly educated individuals. So when a PhD scientist says that everything evolved from pond scum, via a big bang out in space some 18 billion years ago, he can’t be wrong. Or can he? Paul the Apostle tells us, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.” I Corinthians 3:19
The Holy Bible has been scrutinized page by page by some of these very same PhD scientists trying to disprove its accuracy, and yet all they have done is prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that the Bible is true. (We’ll never hear about their discoveries on our local or network news channels.) Many of these same PhD scientists have been converted to Christianity because of their diligence in seeking the truth about the Bible. Most people remain ignorant of the truth which is on every page of God’s word.
We learn from the Bible that we have only been here on this planet for about six thousand years. Many PhD scientists, those who are of the creation science persuasion, have confirmed this. All scientists use the same evidence, (fossils, artifacts, rock layers, etc.). It’s just that evolution scientists, who have their own presuppositions and their own agendas to accomplish, add millions and even billions of years to what God created in six days. They vigorously battle against anyone who makes the assertion that God’s Creation came about just six thousand years ago.
Do we then, as intelligent people, put our eternal destiny in the hands of men with PhD’s after their names, who by their presuppositions and through their own religion, tell us there is no God? If you believe in the theory of evolution, that is your basis of faith because there is no proof of that theory. What you have done is you’ve placed your faith in and accepted the word of fallible man over that of our infallible God. “And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.” II Peter 2:2.
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6. This statement was made by our Creator God; no one can go to Heaven unless they have first come to know the Lord Jesus Christ. The world, (those who are perishing) will tell you differently. The world (the lost) wants to remain in darkness, to remain in their sins. The light has come into the world in the personage of Jesus Christ, but men’s hearts are evil and desperately wicked, and they seek the darkness instead of the light.
Are there other paths that lead to Heaven? Not according to the Word of God. But many will tell you that Christianity is too exclusive. “We must be open-minded about the idea of Heaven. If you’re basically a good person that’s good enough for God or if you aren’t comfortable with believing in the deity of Jesus Christ you can still go to Heaven when you die.” Jesus’ response to this statement is, “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am [he], ye shall die in your sins,” John 8:24.
“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard [him]” Hebrews 2:3. We’re all sinners and in need of salvation. Sin entered into this world via man’s rebellion to God.
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” II Peter 3:9. God is perfect and in Heaven there is only perfection. We, on the other hand, are imperfect, full of sin and therefore are unable to enter into His domain. But through the shed blood of His Son on the cross of Calvary we can enter His domain. All we need to do is place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9.
Jesus Christ died on a cross on Calvary’s mountain two thousand years ago, He was buried, and He rose again on the third day. When we believe in these powerful truths, and place our faith in Him of whom these truths speak of then, and only then, will our eternal destiny be set.
The alternative to Heaven should scare Hell right out of us.
God bless you all,